Collapsible seat



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1,702,280 L. F. STAFFORD COLLAPSIBLE SEAT Filed Dec. 28,1927

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z 4 L a 7 /0 Z LE 5 E .jmrroeo Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS I. STAFFORD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LEW BARNES, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

,COLLAPSIBLE SEAT.

Application filed December 28, 1927.

My present invention relates to seats, benches, and the like and it hasmore particular reference to a seat and back member combined with aplurality of collapsible supports so that the entire structure may bereadily as sembled for use or knocked-down for compact storage.

The structure which I have devised comprises a minimum of simple partswhich are capable to economical manufacture. The support or frame of thedevice is fabricated from metal strips that are bent into the desiredshapes to provide legs arising from a base, and portions of the metalforming these 7 legs are bent to afford means for securing a seatthereto; while another portion may be provided that affords a supportfor a backrest. Among the numerous objects of my invention are theprovision of a device of the character herein described that embodiescompactness in construction and arrangement of the parts, dependabilityin its operation, economy in fabrication, as well as novelty inconstruction. I prefer to carry out my invention and to accomplish theseveral objects thereof in the manner hereinafter described and as moreparticularly pointed out in the claims reference being herein made tothe accompan ing drawings that form a part of this speci cation.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a benchmade in accordance with my improvements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section thereof taken online 22 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction indicated by thearrows. V

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2 of a modified construction.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of back-rest.

The drawings are to be considered as schematic and for the purpose ofillustrating preferred or typical embodiments of my invention, and insaid drawings I have employed the same reference characters to designatelike parts wherever they appear throughout the several views.

The embodiment which I prefer to employ comprises a base member 5preferably made from a length of metal of narrow width that is usuallyknown as strap-metal and is disposed in a flat position upon the flooror ground so as to be transverse to the length of Serial No. 243,187.

the bench as will be seen. There are two leg members or similar supportsthat arise from the opposite ends of the base both of which members arepieces of strap-metal. The rear le member consists of an upright portion6 t e lower end of which is laterally bent to provide a foot 7 thatrests upon and is riveted or otherwise secured to the adjacent rearportion of the base 5, while the opposite or upper portion of the rearleg member is bent at 8 and extends laterally in a horizontal planetowards the front of the bench to provide a seat-supporting arm or reach9. The front leg member which is preferably longer than the rear member,consists of an upright portion 10 the lower end of which is bentlaterally to provide a foot 11 that rests upon and is secured to theforward or front end portion of the base and extends upwardly parallelto the corresponding rear member to a point above the arm or reach 9where it is bent at 12 towards the rear to provide a retainer element orreach 13 that is disposed in a horizontal plane above arm 9 and isparallel therewith. At the rear, and preferably in the vertical plane ofleg 6 the metal strip is given an upward bend as at 14 from which thestrip extends upwardly to provide a back-post 15 that is tilted slightlyto the rear as shown and is formed into an eye 16 at its upper end.

The seat is in the form of an elongated plank 17 that may be the type oflumber used for joists and of sufficient dimensions to stand thetransverse stress of the weight of persons sitting thereon. The plank isplaced flat or horizontally between the reaches 9 and 13 and is clampedbetween the same by flat or round head bolts 18 that pass throughsuitable apertures made in the reaches at the front and rear portionsthereof beyond the edges of the seat plank so that when the nuts aretightened on the bolts the reaches will be drawn towards each other andfirmly clamp the seat plank between them. There is a back-rail or rest19 consisting of a narrow plank that is clamped to the upper portion ofthe back-post 15 by means of a cleat 20 formed from strap-metal ofsuitable length and has its lower end 21 curved towards the back-post,and it is drawn toward the backpost by flat or round head-bolts 22 so asto clamp the back rail to the post.

The seat plank 17 and the back rail 19 may be of the length desired foran elongated bench and a metal structure such as above described isfitted to each end thereof, and should the bench be of unusual lengthone ormore of said structures may be employed intermediate the ends asdesired. When the bench is to be collapsed or knocked-down the bolts 18and 2:2 are loosened to release the clamping elements and thereafter theplank and rail maybe removed. When the structure is used in stadiums,assei'nbly halls, and other places where a large temporary seatingcapacity is desired this structure is capable of ready assembly for useand upon being knocked-down the frames, the seat planks, and the backrails maybe compactly stored in a considerably smaller space than isrequired for storing the assemb xl benches.

It may not be d 'rcd to use a back rail, in which event the upper reachor retainer 13 will terminate the of the bench opposite the bend 153 andwill be provided with a downward bend as shown in Figure 3 of thedrawings. 1 'io iilied ctmstruo tion of back-rail clamp is illustratedin Fig are 4 wherein the eye 16 is dispensed with and the strap is givena re bend 23 which provides a downwardly extending clamping portion 24that terminates in an inwardly curved end portion 25 so that anelongated spring loop is formed to receive the back rail 19 which isclamped therein by bolts that pass through the opposite portions of theloop.

The above discloses specific means of c: rying out my invention and itwill be obvious that changes or alterations may be made withoutdeparting from the principles involved. The foregoing detaileddescription and drawings have been given for clearness of understandingonly, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, butthe appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, inView of the prior art.

lVhat I claim is l. A collapsible seat comprising a front legs member,an integral reach extending rearwardly continuously therefrom, a rearleg member, an integral reach extending forwardly continuouslytherefrom, said reaches being spaced apart Vertically in differenthoriiiontal planes, a plank interposed between said reaches, and meansfor drawing said reach towards each other to clamp the planktherebetwcen.

2. A collapsible seat comprising a front leg member, an integral reachextending rears wardly continuously therefrom, a rear member, anvintegral reach extending forwardly continuously therefrom, said reachesbeing; spaced apart vertically in different horizontal planes, a plankinterposed between said reaches, means for drawing said reaches towardseach other to clamp the plank therebetween, a back-post arising from therear portion of one of said reaches, a back-rail, and means for mountingsaid rail on said post.

A collapsible seat comprising a front leg member, an integral reachextending rcarwardly continuously therefrom, a backpost extendingupwardly from the rear end of said reach, a back-rail, means formounting said rail on said post, a rear leg member, an intes 'ral roachextending forwardly continuously therefrom, said reaches being spacedapart vertically in different horizon tal planes, a planl; interposedbetween said reaches, and means for drawing said reaches towards eachother to clamp the plank therebetween.

-l. A collapsible seat comprising front and rear leg members, anintegral reach extending laterally and continuously from the upper endof one leg member towards the other member, a plank engaged on one face*ith said reach, a retainer element engaged with the opposite face ofsaid plank and disposed in a horizontal plane parallel to the reach, andmeans for drawing; said reach and clamping element towards each other toclamp the plank between the same.

5. A collapsible seatcomprising; a base, front and rear membersextending up wardly from opposite ends of said base, an integral reachprojecting horizontally and continuously from the upper end of one ofsaid. leg members and parallel with said base, a plank supported by saidreach, a clamping strip arranged parallel with said reach and engagedwith said plank, and bolts passed through said reach and said stripwhereby to draw said parts towards each other and clamp the plankbetween the same.

@igned at Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this18th day of November, 1927.

LEWIS F. STA FFORD.

